The Aftermath: The Qwerty Machination
by JusSonic
Summary: A new Aftermath story. Warren, LoveALot, and the Caretakers head to Salvation Town to celebrate the opening of a new Caretakers branch, only to face conspiracy and betrayal from within. Guest voice: Gene Hackman


**It had been a few days since the defeat of Nus Uzt, and the world had seemed to go back to normal...that is, until a newscast changed that...  
"The Caretakers, the group dedicated to helping those with their feelings everywhere has now finished building their newest branch in the Salvation Town, Utah. There have been protests over this as Salvation Town is the hometown of "Checkmate" Warren, the Caretakers' founder. Salvation Town has held a grudge against Warren ever since he accused the Perfect Book, a book that the town worships, to be a fake. The town has a dislike towards Warren's allies the Caretakers for associating with him. However, despite this, the Caretakers have finally managed to open a branch. Next week, the branch will open in a ceremony which several members of the original team, including "Checkmate" Warren, are due to attend."  
The broadcast itself was being played on a TV set which is turned on by a hand. This hand belonged to a man lurking in the shadows. He was inside the office of the new Caretakers' branch and was lacing his fingers neatly. A man with brown hair, a white shirt, and has a nervous look on his face came in.  
"Sir, they just announced." said the man.  
"I know. I have seen it. Everything's going as I planned." said the man in the shadows.  
The newcomer, however, looked worried.  
"I am not sure if this plan will work, Mr. Qwerty. We are talking about murdering innocent people here."  
Mr. Qwerty came out of the shadows. He was a man with black-thick hair, wearing a suit for the office, and had big blue eyes. He glared at the man.  
"Olson, it isn't murdering innocent people. It's disposing of a traitor and his allies. Plus, when it's done and over with, we will get what we want and I will get what I want. Remember, you are in on this so don't give me any reason to blackmail you."  
Olson gulped and nodded.  
"Right."**

**In a simple house in Salvation Town, a conversation between a married couple was taking place, while their five children were playing:  
"Honestly, dear, I don't see why you're getting worried. I know Warren's reputation here is abysmal, but he's trustworthy."  
"Thomas, you know I love you. You're the kindest, noblest, most upstanding person I've ever met. But you're a lousy judge of character. You're so honest, you never see it when other people are lying. Remember that con woman? Or the incident at church three years ago?"  
"Okay, mistakes have been made. Guilty as charged. But it's the Caretakers we're taking about – you know, the people who saved us all from certain doom several times? Who work closely with the Care Bears? If we can't trust them, then who CAN we trust?"  
"When Warren lived here, the town and him weren't exactly a match made in Heaven. He broke my brother's ribs, Thomas – crushed him under a mass of metal. When he left, he became an arch-villain. Even after he cleaned up his act, he was still bad news. Remember that alien attack? We were a target because of Warren."  
"Now hold it right there. You can't blame Warren for that – it's not his fault some alien warlord wanted to challenge him. As for the broken ribs, you know as well as I do that it was self-defense."  
"Maybe. But he's still bad news. I can live with them opening a new branch here, but why are you taking a job with them? You had a nice job at the city hall."  
"Hon, my 'nice job' consisted of recording every advance in deciphering the Perfect Book. I had to spend my days paying attention to scores of people coming up with one idiotic interpretation after another, all of them thinking at the moment they had figured it all out just because of some little funny detail in their interpretation. Invariably, their 'brilliant ideas' would lead back to square one. It was a nice job only if by 'nice', you mean 'boring, depressing, soul-draining'. I've been doing it for too many years; it's time I found something better."  
His wife seemed worried.  
"Hon? Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, Thomas. But I'm worried you might be changing."  
"Changing? What do you mean?"  
"You didn't use to be this supportive of Checkmate Warren. Or, for that matter, so cynical about the Perfect Book. Sometimes I worry you might lose faith."  
"Hon…My opinion of Warren has improved because he, too, has changed for the better. And I still believe in the Perfect Book, even if…" he didn't finish the sentence.  
"Even if what?"  
"Nothing. But really, I don't think you should be worried about the Caretakers. Heck, they've got Qwerty's support!  
Besides," he added, "with their help, maybe they'll catch Wildcard…"**

At that time, the mastermind himself was overseeing preparations at the Caretakers' HQ:  
"Nicholas, David, Christy, Lumpy, are you ready?"  
"Yup. This inauguration should go without a hitch. But I have to ask…How did you manage to get enough support for a new branch there? You said that after Dark Heart Bear's attack, Salvation Town wouldn't want to have anything to do with us anymore."  
"I didn't do anything, Nicholas. It would simply appear that my prediction was incorrect."  
"Now that's a concept."  
About then, Alice came in:  
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's a call from Care-A-Lot."  
Warren answered: "Yes?"  
"Hi. This is Tender Heart."  
"Oh, hello. Are you ready to come?"  
"Actually, no. There have been a few emergencies in caring missions, and I have to go. I'm afraid I can't come with you."  
"Crud. Tender Heart, I've told you we need at least one member of the family to accompany us to the ceremony, and you're the most photogenic one. Are the founders available?"  
"Sorry, no. Both True Heart and Noble Heart are on a mission."  
"Well, see who IS available. Also, call Dark Heart Bear…I need to have a word with him."  
"Okay. Bye."  
After hanging up, Warren noticed Sophia giving him a cue from the next room. He joined her.  
"What's the matter?"  
"I suspect you know what the matter is better than me," she said. "The others aren't paying attention to details like that, but I noticed…You're taking with you Nicholas, the wizard. David, the experienced one. Christy and Lumpy, the action-types. On the other hand, you're not taking Alice, whose charisma would be perfect for this kind of ceremony. Or Isaac, Dawn, and Paul, whose technical know-how could help solve any problems you might encounter with the new branch's infrastructure. Warren, what is it you're not telling us?"  
"Perceptive as always. Well, to be honest, there are a few interesting details…"

Back in Salvation Town, the news reporter was narrating to the camera as she prepared to enter the Sheriff's office:  
"Reporting from Salvation Town, where the 3rd Caretakers branch is to be opened in a matter of hours. We're currently standing in front of the office of Gene Qwerty, the town's sheriff, and also the official leader of the new branch.  
Mr. Qwerty, you are one of the principal figures of this city, and have even been a candidate for the governor's office three years ago. Is this another step in your career?"  
"Hardly. I simply see this event as a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved. The Caretakers have done immense good for the world, freeing us from the secret reign of Control, leading us to victory in the Avalon war, and repelling not one but THREE space invasions. In addition, their help to our everyday lives is immense, and I am certain that our town will benefit immensely from their presence…As will the entire State. And, globally, the world."  
"And what of your personal career?"  
"Irrelevant. I simply try to find the place where I can be the most beneficial. I believe I've helped the town as sheriff, and will continue to do so; I believed I could help the State as governor, but I'm afraid people were worried about my lack of political experience. Now, I believe I will be able to help much more as a Caretaker."  
"This actually brings two questions: First, as sheriff, do you have any comment on Wildcard, the criminal wizard who's been wrecking havoc on the area? And second, would you say your failure at the elections was due to your religious affiliation?"  
"To answer the first: There's no need to blow things out of proportions. Magic or not, Wildcard is little more than a local criminal, not the next No Heart. He'll get caught sooner or later. To answer the second: I'm a strong believer of the Perfect Book, but I'm not unwise enough to force my views on those who don't believe in it. Had I been elected, my policies wouldn't have been influenced by such beliefs. It seems obvious to me that my electoral failure was due to my lack of experience and support, not my spiritual affiliation."

After the reporter left, Qwerty opened a door. In the next room, a man who had probably been handsome in his younger years was grinning.  
"You're good with the media, Gene. Nice selfless act there."  
"Whatever it takes. And not all is an act, Luke. My plan will allow us to start a new golden age. It's for the common good."  
"Sure. That's the illusions you play on yourself. Just remember you need ME to play illusions on other people."  
"Careful there, my friend. Ultimately, you're expendable."  
"Not right now I'm not. And don't forget – you have your reasons, but I have my price."  
"I haven't forgotten. You'll get the money this evening, after Checkmate Warren is dead."  
"Heh. Where did you get that money, anyway? City hall's coffers? Nah, I don't want to know. But the evidence…"  
"I'll hand you the evidence, together with the money. After the heretic and his helpers are disposed of, I'll have no further use of the blackmail material…Wildcard."

**"Well, back home again. Though I wouldn't call it sweet." remarked Warren. He, along with Nicholas, Christy, Lumpy, and David were about to arrive to Salvation Town in one of the flying cars.  
"Now, now. This place needs help too, despite their dislike toward us." Love-A-Lot Bear said. Tender Heart had managed to find Love-A-Lot, and since she wasn't busy right then, she had come along.  
"True, but don't forget, this place has been hit by Dark Heart Bear's attack." David reminded everyone.  
"Not to mention Warren's problems with the town." Christy added.  
"Okay, no need to remind me further. We're almost at the new branch." Warren said.  
"I can tell from the usual protesters." Lumpy said pointing.  
Sure enough, in front of the new Salvation Town branch, many people were protesting in front of the new building. Signs were being held, like "Warren, Go Away!", "Caretakers Not Welcome!", and the usual anti-Warren or anti-Caretaker protest. They booed as they saw Warren and the others arriving and the boos got louder when they got out of the car.  
"Well, thanks for coming." Warren said sarcastically.  
"This may get worse unless the new leader shows up." Nicholas said worried.  
The mob calmed down when someone appeared. It was, of course, Gene Qwerty. He came over and looked at Warren for a sec. Then he smiled and held out his hand.  
"Hello, Mr. Wilson. My name is Gene Qwerty, the town's sheriff and the new leader of this branch." Gene said introducing himself.  
"Thanks, but don't call me Mr. Wilson." Warren said shaking Gene's hand, then stopped. "Nobody calls me that."  
"Well, that may change yet. Isn't it?" The crowd booed again. "Let's go inside where it's quieter."  
Warren's group and Gene went in. The protesters would have followed but Gene had left some of his own men to keep them out.**

Inside the building...

"So tell us, Mr. Qwerty. Why did you decide to become the branch's new leader? Aren't you afraid of what people are going to say?" Love-A-Lot asked.  
"Oh no. Not really. The Caretakers, and your Care Bears Family, have done much good for the world. We would have lost all hope if it weren't for you. And Warren would have been just another villain if you hadn't changed him." Gene assured Love-A-Lot.  
"I don't know if I should feel insulted, but you're right." Warren said. "So you're the sheriff, I heard."  
"Well, with my good knowledge of the town and above-average street smarts, I fit the bill. And even though I tried to get into a higher office, I am glad to serve this one."  
"Well, while you're the head of the branch, it's Warren who brought the Caretakers altogether, so he's got the higher office." Lumpy said.  
"Hey, maybe someday you can have my job." joked Warren.  
"Oh ho. Maybe that day will come." laughed Gene. Then he mumbled to himself, unheard by the others: "Sooner than you think."

"**Well," said Qwerty, "the inauguration party will begin in an hour…"  
"Actually," replied Warren, "I think we might have to postpone it. I trust this evening is okay?"  
"Um, why?" Qwerty seemed taken aback…and a bit nervous.  
"Well, I would prefer our first few hours here to be spent on something practical rather than symbolic. Which brings us to these gentlemen," He said, as two men dressed in black came inside the building.  
"Um, hello" said Qwerty, surprised again. "To whom do I have the honor…?"  
"Mr. Clint and Mr. Dickinson" replied one of the men. "FBI. Here at Checkmate Warren's request."  
Qwerty was now sweating bullets. With uncommon self-control, he managed to make a quizzical face as he asked: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation? What for?"  
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Warren.  
Qwerty looked at him in the eyes for an unending, interminable couple of seconds, trying to read the mastermind. "Wildcard?"  
"Precisely. We have recently taken out of the picture all of Earth's super-villains; we don't need a new crop. I was hoping to take advantage of our trip here to stop this burgeoning menace, and, in the process, show the people of Salvation Town that we're actually helpful."  
"I see. Good thinking." Qwerty refrained from muttering under his breath. Darn that heretic – why did he have to be so unpredictable?  
"Well, let's go at it." said Warren. Addressing everyone in the room, he added: "Remember, the Caretakers have TWO functions: To help those in need of emotional support…And protect society from threats the police wasn't trained to fight. Today, some of you might learn something about the second function."  
"Excuse me, but…" said Nicholas, "…Who the blaze is Wildcard?"  
"You should read the news more often…Especially the news Isaac's programs filter for us. Wildcard is the codename of a magic-using criminal who's been hanging around in this area for the last few weeks. He's committed several thefts and murders, always leaving on the scene of the crime an ace of spade on which he's written: Yours Truly, Wildcard."  
"A…criminal wizard?" Nicholas seemed worried. "Doesn't sound good. How powerful is he?"  
"Not that much…Remember, normal magic-wielders don't reach the same power levels as those who have a superhuman edge…The Spirit Book and the Guardians got their power by converting their feelings into energy, and Dark Heart was created with powers beyond the ken of mortals. Other sorcerers, such as you, just about every Avalonian, or, in all likelihood, this Wildcard, have access to powers that can seem formidable for one person, but are far from world-threatening.  
To this date, Wildcard's crimes have never displayed huge abilities…But, according to legal experts, some of his victims were killed by bullets without using any gun, others suffered internal damage with no external wounds…He's also committed thefts in impenetrable rooms, with no sign of his passage. His very rare appearances indicate a certain taste for putting on a show out of his skills…But, I believe we can learn more at the sheriff's office. Mr. Qwerty here led much of the investigation, after all."**

**Gene nodded.  
"Right, right. But..." Gene thought quickly. "Since you just got here, I thought I should treat my guests to something to eat. You must be hungry after your trip here."  
"Come to think about it, I am a little hungry." commented Lumpy.  
"Good." He quickly pressed a button and called in Olson who came in. "Olson, why don't you treat our guests to a meal while I see what caring missions our new Caretakers should be going on?"  
"But sir, I thought..." Gene gave Olson a good that meant 'talk and I'll severely hurt you.' Olson quickly nodded. "Okay, sir." Olson quickly spoke to the guests. "So what would you all like to have?"  
Gene then left the room and headed to his office. He locked the door and took a look around. He made sure no listening advices were installed. He didn't want to get caught, not now.  
"Warren. He must suspect something." mumbled Gene. "Figures. He's the smartest Caretaker after all. If I make my move while the FBI is around, I may just as well get a new career as a jailbird. Better call Luke."  
Gene then grabbed his phone and made a phone call. Fortunately, for him anyway, his phone line wasn't connected to the other phones so no one would be able to listen in. He waited patiently for Luke to pick up.  
"Hello?" called Luke on the other end.  
"Luke, it's Gene. There's a change in plans. It's time to put the place...on lockdown." Gene said. "I refused to be foiled by a former villain."**

**While Gene made his phone call, the Caretakers and their friend talked with each other.  
"I wonder why Gene left the way he did." asked Christy.  
"He probably has a good reason to." Nicholas said.  
"I'm sure Mr. Qwerty does." said Olson nervously. "I mean, this is a Caretakers branch. Nothing bad ever goes wrong here."  
"Actually things CAN happen at a Caretakers branch. After all, Control did have Arnold spy on us for a while." Warren reminded everyone.  
"True, true." agreed Love-A-Lot Bear. "But things must be different. Gene doesn't seem to have a grudge against you."  
"Actually, don't be certain of that. In Salvation Town, don't expect anyone not to have a grudge against you guys or myself. My rule for Salvation Town? Never trust anyone you grew up with."  
"What about Thomas?" asked David.  
"The exception that confirms the rule."  
Gene then came back in.  
"Sorry for the wait. Now then, I assumed you wanted to begin the investigation of Wildcard." Gene said.  
"Why? You're hiding something?" asked Warren with a smirk.  
"I assured you I am not hiding anything. I'm a Caretaker!"  
"Good. Then you won't mind having the FBI investigate at your sheriff's office first."  
"Not at all." Gene then thought to himself. "Luke, I hope you play your cards right." **

"**Oh, wait" said Warren, "my cell phone is vibrating." He answered the phone. "Yes? Oh, all right." Turning to face the others, he said: "It looks like the news crew will want their inauguration sooner. Let's compromise: Gene, you'll take our FBI friends to your office and begin explaining the investigation to them. We'll proceed here – the media will come within an hour at most."  
"Fantastic idea!" said Qwerty. "Follow me, I'll show you everything."  
"Um…Don't we need Gene for the inauguration?" asked Thomas.  
"It's his call", Warren shrugged.  
"Oh, you can start without me" answered Qwerty. "I'm not doing this for fame."  
As the sheriff led the two FBI agents through the corridor, Warren said: "Well, I believe presentations are in order…"**

As Qwerty and the FBI agents reached the exit, he opened the door and said "After you." But the moment the agents went outside, a steel door suddenly closed on the building. Thick metallic sheets appeared on the windows. The building was locked down.

"He's finally revealed himself," thought Warren while snapping his fingers. "But you…Don't reveal yourself unless our lives are endangered."  
About then, Qwerty came back into the main room. "Geez, I'm sorry about this mess. The whole building is under lockdown."  
"Lockdown?" asked Christie, confused.  
"Gene's idea" explained Warren. "He reasoned that, since the Caretakers' bases were at times the targets of attacks, they should have some kind of defense mechanism. Under lockdown, it's impossible to get in or out."  
"Really sorry" Gene went on. "I don't know why the lockdown activated – we've never had this malfunction before.  
Oh well…Since we're stuck here until someone gets us out, we might just as well start with the inauguration, and keep the more showy parts for the media."  
"Not so fast" replied Warren. "I know this lockdown is pretty secure, but it might be possible to force the door to open using the Stare. We'll go at it; the rest of you prepare everything here."  
As the old Caretakers and Love-A-Lot followed Warren through the corridor, Gene told the new Caretakers: "I'll be back in a minute." He then rushed to the storage room. He looked around, not finding who was looking for.  
"Luke? Luke?"  
"Yes?" came a voice behind him.  
Gene nearly jumped out of his skin. Luke smiled mockingly and bowed, saying "What is your bidding my master?"  
"For the love of the Perfect Book, don't scare me like that! I'm already on my last nerve!"  
"So I can see."  
"That mastermind is driving me INSANE! One moment everything's going as planned, then it's all wrong, then it's all right again, then…Damn it all, I keep worrying that he's somehow figured it out, then I tell myself I'm just being paranoid, then I…God, I hate that traitor."  
"You, Gene, have an acute case of stage fright."  
"Stage fright? This is no game. If he finds out what we're really doing, we're finished – this man fights and defeats super-powered monsters, cosmic destroyers, alien invaders. Our only shot at him will be the element of surprise. This whole operation was planned so that there'd be no clue, no red flag, nothing to alert our foes that anything is fishy."  
"And…?"  
"And…I don't think we left any clue. So I guess I just need to calm down…And get this show on the road. Prepare for Wildcard to make his entrance."  
"Believe me, I'M ready."

As they reached the door, the Caretakers prepared their Care Blasters, and Love-A-Lot prepared her tummy symbol, but Warren stood between them and that door, saying: "Hey now. Don't use your Stare on this."  
"Why not?"  
"Because, like you certainly know by now, the Stare is extremely powerful, and there's no way this metal door could resist being opened by it."  
"…Wasn't that the whole idea?"  
"No, that was an excuse for bringing you all here to talk in private."  
The defenders of feelings looked at him and each other, confused. He went on: "Understand one thing: This isn't an inauguration ceremony we've been invited to. It's a deathtrap."  
"WHAT?"  
"It's Qwerty. He's allied with Wildcard. They brought us here to kill us – especially me."  
"What…Why…"  
"I understand your confusion. Allow me to explain: I've been studying some events here, and have come to the conclusion that Wildcard was created mostly for show – Gene intends to kill us and make it look like Wildcard's work. That was the whole purpose of Wildcard's crimes, as well as the creation of this new branch. Several clues I got here today confirmed my conclusion. He locked down the building on purpose, both to keep us here and to prevent the FBI agents from messing up his plan."  
"But…Why? Just to punish you for abandoning their faith? Or because they blame you for Dark Heart Bear's attack?"  
"Not at all. This murder scheme has a wholly different purpose: To give Gene Qwerty control of the Caretakers. Even if I die, there are members more fit than him for the job – but he's sly and manipulative; he'd probably succeed."  
"That makes no sense. Why would anyone kill for control over the Caretakers?"  
"It's complicated. I don't have time to explain right now."  
"But what about Wildcard?"  
"There isn't really any magician named Wildcard. The criminal who took that name is relying on good old-fashioned circus tricks, as well as Qwerty's complicity. He's probably here already."  
"But…Why did you even drag us into this in the first place, in that case?"  
"Two reasons: First, because I don't know who among the new recruits is part of the conspiracy, and who isn't. Olson is obviously with Qwerty, and Thomas is certainly innocent, but everyone else is unclear. Second…I think it might do this town some good if we can expose Qwerty's true nature."  
"But the risks…"  
"I've thought about it," Warren was still snapping his fingers, "and there are two possible ways they could attempt to kill us: With poisons, which is the most likely, and will allow us to let them think they've won…Or by shooting us, in which case I have an ace in the hole.  
Now, let's rejoin Qwerty. He's spent so much effort setting up a trap for us, it would be rude not to fall into it."

**Gene, in the meanwhile, was in his office preparing some drinks for his guests.  
"This powder may look like poison, but in fact, it is." Gene remarked. "And I got some hidden guns nearby ready to be used. Speaking of which..."  
Gene got his cell phone out and dialed a number.  
"Hello Valerence? Did our recruits arrive before the lockdown?" Gene listened in as Valerence confirmed. "Good, make sure they remain patient until I'm ready to use them."  
Gene hung up his cell phone just as the Caretakers and Love-A-Lot Bear came in.  
"We couldn't get through the metal door. It seems our blasts and stares won't work on it," said Love-A-Lot.  
"Do you have any idea how the lockdown happened?" asked David.  
"Maybe Wildcard is attacking. After all, I am after him." Gene explained.  
Warren nodded but knew what was really happening. The question was, did Gene?**

"**I suggest a toast for the new branch" said Qwerty. Grabbing one of the bottles and a glass, he said: "I'll serve the drinks. Pick your beverage."  
In a short while, everyone had his glass.  
"To the Caretakers!" said Qwerty. With that, everyone brought their glasses to their mouths. As they lowered them, there was a sudden explosion; one of the walls burst. As the dust cleared, a peculiar-looking figure stood before them: He was tall, wore a red top hat, a white domino mask, a black suit, and a crimson cape. He was also smiling sadistically.  
"Well, well, well. Do-gooders of the world unite, I see. You've won many victories, Caretakers…But sic passit gloria mundi. I, Wildcard, shall tear you apart from the inside out!"  
He then made some hand gestures while saying some barely-pronounceable sounds. A flash of colored light appeared between him and the champions of caring. A moment later, Warren, Love-A-Lot, and the other old Caretakers were clutching their chest as if in terrible pain. They then fell to the ground.  
"Warren!" cried Thomas, as he and another rushed toward them – but Wildcard made another gesture, and a trail of fire appeared on the ground, starting in front of him and progressing in a split-second 20 feet forward, stopping them dead in their tracks.  
"You have seen the true power of Wildcard. Now let the world know – I can't be stopped!" with those words, he disappeared in a puff of smoke – and where he stood earlier, a card – the ace of spade – was stuck to the floor with a dagger. Had anyone taken a close look, they could have seen the words "Yours Truly, Wildcard" on it.  
"Move fast!" said Qwerty. "We've gotta find him before he disappears!"  
"Not…so fast" came another voice…And to Qwerty's surprise and horror, Warren slowly rose.  
"Y-you're alive?"  
"I've had some alien technology installed in my body" bluffed Warren. "I'm pretty hard to kill nowadays."  
"But…the others?" asked Thomas.  
Warren shook his had with an air of sadness. "Too late. Our Care Blasters can detect each others; theirs have stopped registering a few seconds ago, and so has her tummy symbol" he pointed at Love-A-Lot. "We can't help them anymore. But we can still catch Wildcard. Gene, we're going to have to use my tactics. We'll split into two teams – one will help me search the building, the other will help you search outside, and protect the media if Wildcard shows up again."  
"All right" said Qwerty, thinking fast. "Here's how we'll split the teams…"**

**Gene was getting desperate to get rid of Warren. Of course, he knew that if he tried to kill Warren in front of Thomas and the others who weren't in on his plan, he would be exposed. So he made the groups like he said: he would be in a group with Thomas and the innocents to keep an eye on them. He put Warren in a group with his co-conspirators. Then with each group made up, they went to search for Wildcard.  
"You think it's all right to not let Warren be with us? I mean, what if we run into Wildcard?" asked Thomas.  
"Who cares? If Warren runs into Wildcard, I hope he gets his." remarked a Caretaker.  
"Now, now. That's no way for a Caretaker to talk and you know it." Gene said, pretending to care.  
"Sorry, I guess I'm still bitter about Warren's actions a while ago."  
Gene nodded but his mind was on something else.  
"I hope my co-conspirators get the job done." thought Gene. He put Warren with his co-conspirators for a good reason: they were to shoot him with silent guns and it would be blamed on Wildcard; one of the tricks they had used was make it look like he was using magic to accelerate bullets. And when the job was done, Wildcard would appear in front of the media.  
"And then my takeover of the Caretakers will be complete."**

Olson was nervous as he pocketed the silent gun Gene had given him. He was with Warren, the super-intelligent leader of the Caretakers who had once turned the whole world uncaring...and THAT had been an accident! The one who made the famous John Bolt look like a fool. The one who outwitted every threat he, the CBF, and Caretakers had faced so far.  
"Well, this will be the last time he faces a threat...and he won't walk away from this one." thought Olson. "We need to wait for the right moment...After all, he's alone with us to get rid of him."  
Unknown to Olson, Warren knew what was coming...and he wasn't really alone with them... 

"**Well," said Warren, "let's get going. Wildcard could be anywhere in this building."  
"I don't think we'll be going anywhere," said Olson quietly.  
"Oh? And why is that?"  
"Because we're not exactly on your side," Olson and the others pulled their guns out.  
Warren gave them a sly smile. "Ah, so the cards are on the table now. To what exactly do I owe the honor of an assassination? Are you still blaming me for the alien attack?"  
"That had nothing to do with it, you moron!" said Olson angrily. "We're taking you out because once Gene has the Caretakers, he can finally solve The Problem. Then, guess who'll be on top of the world?"  
"Uh-huh. And do you think Qwerty would approve of you betraying the organization he put so much effort into joining?"  
Olson burst in laughter. "And they said you were smart! Gene ORGANIZED this thing, genius!"  
"Why thank you. That's exactly what I wanted you to say out loud." replied Warren, holding a digital recorder.  
Olson stopped smiling. "Die." He pressed the trigger, as did several others – but Warren was just…gone. Not where he had stood the instant before. They looked around, startled, and saw him standing behind them, still smiling.  
Olson blinked. What in the name of…Before he could carry that thought any further, something hit him hard, and everything went black. In the following three seconds, every other conspirator was similarly pounded. As they all fell on the floor, knocked out cold, the Caretakers and Love-A-Lot rose from the ground, quite alive.  
"Wha…? Warren, how did you do THAT?"  
"Indirectly" answered the mastermind, still smiling. "I got some assistance here."  
"Where…?"  
"I'm right on front of you, you twit" came a familiar voice between them and Warren.  
"Dark Heart Bear?"  
"Myself. Don't bother looking, I'm using an invisibility sphere."  
"So that's why you asked me to make some of those!" said Nicholas.  
"Actually, I wanted us to have them at handy for emergencies" replied Warren. "I figured we could use a heavy-hitter for this situation, so I asked Dark to come as a bodyguard of sort. He teleported me before the guns fired, and did what he does best on the conspirators."  
"But…Why did you wait until the last moment to teleport Warren?" asked Love-A-Lot. "Couldn't you just defeat them first?"  
"Of course I could, but I was hoping to make your brainy friend sweat a little by waiting. It didn't really work."  
"Of course not," said Warren. "I was expecting it."  
"You're some piece of work, you know?"  
"Why thank you."  
"You're BOTH pieces of work" said Lumpy. "But what now?"  
"Well, I hacked into Qwerty's phone before coming, and, as of a couple minutes ago, any accomplice he might have watching this can't phone and warn him. But if I understood his plan correctly, then he'll try to have Wildcard make his dramatic entrance for the cameras. Come on – it's not over till it's over."**

**Gene checked his watch in anticipation.  
"They should have taken care of it by now." mumbled Gene.  
"Taken care of what?" Thomas asked, overhearing him.  
"Err, finding Wildcard of course."  
"They found Wildcard?"  
"No, I mean..." Gene thought up an excuse. "You know what? I think I should go see where they are. You stay here."  
Gene left the room, closed the door, and locked it.  
"It's the only door to the room so that should hold them." mumbled Gene. Then he made a beeline for the weapons room, where the weapons to oppose villains were stored. He got his hands on an exoskeleton suit.  
"So is he dead yet? When's my final show?" asked Wildcard who appeared as if from nowhere.  
"Luke, I haven't heard from Olson yet. But in case he and the other co-conspirators have failed, we better take some extreme cautions..." Gene told him.**

"So what would Gene do if he finds out what really happened?" asked Christy.  
"Simple. He would most likely to pull something unexpected. But don't forget the most important rule when dealing with yours truly." Warren said.  
"Which is...?" asked Love-A-Lot.  
"Besides "never try to betray Checkmate Warren", never try to fool me."  
"And what about Dark Heart Bear?" asked Nicholas.  
"He is to remain invisible until we leave Salvation Town alive."  
"Why?"  
Dark Heart Bear scoffed, still invisible. "You think he would remain in this freak show he used to call home if everyone finds out I am helping you? Especially after what me and Colonel Tucker did last time?"  
"I see your point." Lumpy said.  
"Well, let's get this over with." mumbled David.

**Qwerty and Wildcard progressed through the building. Despite the exoskeleton's weight, Qwerty had no difficulty whatsoever moving – the machine's strength was far beyond human limits.  
"Hey, check that out!" said Wildcard: In the main room, the Caretakers and Love-A-Lot were still lying on the ground…But so were Qwerty's men, who looked like some truly tough brawler had gone ballistic on them. Next to them laid Warren, pale, with a huge red stain on his cloths. He wasn't moving.  
"Check if he's alive," said Qwerty. Hesitantly, Wildcard obeyed.  
"I don't feel any pulse."  
Qwerty sighed in relief. "I did it. I killed Warren Wilson – Checkmate Warren! The heretic – the prince of plots – defeated through my careful planning!"  
"Yeah, yeah. Now, if you're done gloating, let's finish this."  
"Of course. We must show the media Wildcard – and then Gene Qwerty must save them."  
After the two conspirators left the room, the heroes stood up.  
"Figured he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a blood stain and a red wine stain" said Warren, eyeing the bottle on the table. "But then again, one of the core principles of illusions is to play on what people expect to see, as Wildcard must know. Speaking of illusions and stage magicians, Nicholas, good job with that spell – you did a magnificent job masking my pulse."  
"Thanks. But what now?"  
"Now we end this."  
"Why didn't we end it right here?"  
"Because I want Qwerty's guilt to be undeniable, even for his staunchest supporters."**

The media amassed in front of the building were growing restless. The explosions had gotten them far more curious than their original reason for coming; when some of the new Caretakers had been left outside to patrol, one had taken the time to explain the situation to them. Wildcard, here! Attacking the newest branch of the Caretakers on its inauguration day! It was shaping to be a career-making opportunity.  
Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke, and an oddly-dressed man appeared before them. Most of them instantly recognized the cloths:  
"Ah, the scheduled media circus. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself: Wildcard, master of black magic, at your service" he said with a fancy bow. "You may have heard of me concerning matters of small-scale villainy, but I believe it is time for me to move on to bigger, better things. As such, I have decided to test my might and cunning against some of our world's greatest heroes. I won, easily enough. One of the Care Bears lay dead, and the infamous Checkmate Warren is no more. No-one can stand in my way anymore – I hold the world in the palm of my hand! Your very lives now belong to me – and I do with them as I please!"  
As he said those last words, he made a sudden gesture, and, just like earlier, a trail of fire launched from the ground next to his feet and progressed toward the reporters at high speed. Some of them shrieked in surprise and fear, but, before the fiery projectile reached its target, a great metallic mass suddenly interposed itself between them and it. There was a collision, and a fireball engulfed the metallic object for a short second. When it cleared, the reporters could see that it was a robotic battlesuit.  
"I will not allow you to hurt them!" come a voice from inside the mechanical armor, as it made a fantastic leap toward the magician. In a split-second, Wildcard came to a realization. The plan seemed simple enough: He had to gloat to the press about how dangerous he was, then make what looked like an attempt on their lives with his fireworks. Gene would save them, and become the big hero; the reporters would certainly give glowing reviews to the man who had just saved their lives. Wildcard himself was supposed to disappear in a puff of smoke, and remain a threat Qwerty could use to scare people – a scarecrow of sort. But now, Wildcard realized that Qwerty had never intended to let him flee with his life – he knew too much, and, unlike the other conspirators, he didn't have the belief in the Perfect Book to keep him loyal. To the press, it would seem like Qwerty was taking a huge personal risk by attacking a powerful wizard – in reality, Wildcard had no powers at all; with the exoskeleton's strength, the head conspirator was easily going to kill him in one blow.  
All these thoughts were flashing inside Wildcard's head when he felt something hit him hard on the side. He fell sideways, briefly wondering who had done that before passing out from the blow. Qwerty and his cybernetic armor punched into empty air; no-one could see Dark Heart Bear, and so, most simply assumed Wildcard had dodged at the last moment.  
Gene looked up – then twitched in horror as he saw Checkmate Warren, quite alive and looking smug, standing in front of the building. "How many times do I have to kill him?" he whispered to himself.  
Warren spoke up: "It's over, Gene Qwerty. We know the truth about Wildcard, the stage tricks, the conspiracy. I knew everything before I came here." Love-A-Lot and the other Caretakers came out of the building too, standing a few feet behind Warren. "Your 'friends' has already agreed to testify against you. You've lost."  
Qwerty had little reason to doubt Warren's bluff. Feelings of terror, despair, and anger mixed in his mind. Anger won out. "Is that what you wanted? To expose me publicly? Well, congrats, super genius. Looks like you've won. But in case you forgot…I'm the one with the firepower here."  
"Warren," said Christie, "please tell me you gave them a non-functional battle suit."  
"Of course not," Warren rolled his eyes. "That would have shown to him that I knew he was up to no good!"  
"So I guess it's time to die" said Qwerty, smiling (though that was hard to see inside the suit) and preparing himself to attack.  
"Don't get your hopes up" replied the mastermind. "Or did you forget I invented this machine? I know it inside out."  
"I very much doubt you've left it with any weakness."  
"I made the first of these exoskeletons, as well as every prototype, with my own hands. I know how it's assembled. So how about I just UNDO it all–with a better invention!"  
Qwerty used the battle suit's power to its fullest as he charged toward Warren. He had lost it all so quickly, and it was all that traitor's fault…He barely even noticed when his foe lifted his right arm and aimed his Care Blaster at him. He paid it no mind when he was engulfed in a cone of light – killing Warren was all that mattered. But as he came in front of Warren, he stopped in his tracks – realizing that had left behind him a trail of the battle suit's components. The Stare had disassembled it.  
Warren sidestepped and smiled at his allies: "He's all yours."  
The Stare hit Qwerty at full force.

A few minutes later, while the two FBI agents were arresting the culprits, Warren spoke to his friends: "I've promised the media – and the innocents among the new branch – to explain everything to them in a few minutes. After that, we'll have to see what hopes are left for this branch to become a reality – I'm hoping that Qwerty's machination will shock at least a small part of the town into a vague semblance of sanity. Or at least make them question their righteousness a bit more. Then I'll help the FBI investigate, see if Qwerty had any accomplices we've missed. Anyway, the hard part of this trip is behind us. Hope it hasn't been too bad for you."  
"To be honest, I AM kinda upset" said Lumpy. "And I don't mean because of Qwerty. I mean because of the way YOU acted."  
Warren said nothing at first, then crossed his arms and said "Go on."  
"You wanted to arrest Qwerty in a spectacular way so that the whole town would understand HE was the bad guy here, not YOU. Okay, I get that. But you could have told US! All those days, you let us believe nothing fishy was going on – you only told us at the last moment, when you actually needed us to play along. Maybe it's like a game to you, but to us, it was SCARY – and I don't know if you did it because you don't trust us or don't respect us, but I'm NOT okay with it!"  
The others said nothing, but it was obvious they were agreeing with Lumpy. Warren remained silent for a moment then sighed. "You're right. It's a very, very bad habit of mine. I should have told you as soon as I realized what was going on. I'll try to keep you in the loop in the future. I'm sorry."  
"Just don't do it again," said Christy.  
"WARREN!" the ear-splitting roar unmistakably came from Qwerty, as the FBI was hauling him off. "You filthy, slimy, treacherous HEATHEN! You'll burn in Heck for this, you hear me? You'll BURN!"  
The mastermind calmly walked toward the conspirator. "For what? Defending my life and those of my friends? Preventing my life's work from falling in the hands of a power-hungry, corrupt fanatic? I fail to see the logic."  
"How did you know," Qwerty was barely listening. "My plan was perfect! I left no clues!"  
"Your plan was amateurish, full of mistakes I wouldn't have done at age fifteen. But, if you want me to explain to you while we have the attention of our friends from the press, then, by all means, I'll oblige:  
My first clue was the fact that opening a branch of the Caretakers in Salvation Town had actually become possible. Its little secret that this city and its people are not particularly fond of me or anything I undertake. Dark Heart Bear's attack not so long ago only reinforced that, and did so substantially. The sudden support meant that someone was fixing the odds – someone influential in the town was doing what he or she could to have that branch become a reality. And the one person who seemed the most supportive…Was a certain Gene Qwerty, local sheriff and would-be politician.  
So I did some research. It didn't take much to see that you were a cunning, manipulative fellow, as well as an egomaniac. Could it be that you wanted to lead this branch for the glory involved? It seemed like too much effort for too little results.  
Then come the Wildcard crimes. In this area of all places? It seemed like an odd coincidence. Even odder was Wildcard's modus operandi: While most of his behavior was clearly that of a complete show-off, his actual crimes seemed strangely…discreet. Thefts where no-one could see him. Murders committed by supposedly tearing one's heart apart inside the body, or accelerating bullets with magic as if they'd actually been shot. And all those crimes studied by Qwerty and his men…including forensic analysis. It was easy to understand what that meant: Wildcard was trying to attract attention, hence the show-off attitude, but didn't have any magical powers – hence the strangely discreet crimes: Wildcard, with the sheriff's complicity, would commit acts that were impossible for a man alone, and the forensic team working for Qwerty would conclude that magic had been used. Thefts? Qwerty gave him the keys, sometimes literally. Murders? Two solutions – the first is heart-stopping poisons, in which case Qwerty declares that internal wounds have been inflicted without any external wounds, and the public concludes it's a magic. The second is to shoot the victim, and have ballistic analysis declare that the bullet doesn't bear the signs of having been shot from a gun. Again, the public concludes magic is involved.  
Obviously enough, Qwerty, you needed the public to believe there was an evil wizard lurking around, when all you had was a stage magician. Why? The most logical supposition was that you needed Wildcard to take the blame for something. The thefts? Not enough money involved. The murders? Not too useful. It had to be something you INTENDED to commit. And I supposed it had something to do with the new branch of the Caretakers you were so eager to open.  
The first supposition that came to mind was that you wanted to kill US during the inauguration ceremony. I tested that - remember a week ago when I told you Patterson from the second branch had asked to lead the inauguration? I actually made that up. When you protested and insisted that I at least come in person, I knew it was me you wanted to kill – and Wildcard was just an imaginary villain whom the public had to blame instead of you.  
Still, sounds like a lot of effort just to kill a man, isn't it? There are simpler, easier ways to commit murder. Why go to the trouble of creating this third branch? The logical answer, this time, was that you needed the branch itself – probably to take control of the Caretakers.  
This of course begs the question: What kind of lunatic kills in order to take over a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote kindness? My research of your past and character showed me the answer: You wanted to be the leader of the Caretakers for exactly the same reason you wanted to be governor. Your objective was, and has been all along, to have the Perfect Book deciphered. Like just about everyone in Salvation Town, you believe the Book holds easy answers to all life's problems. I've pieced together your personal interpretation from bits of information I scavenged – you had always expected the deciphering of the Perfect Book to bring forth a new golden age, with Salvation Town on top of the world. YOU intended to be on top of Salvation Town. For this demented plan of yours, you needed to be someone important here – but, more importantly, you needed the Perfect Book deciphered.  
That's where you hit a snag. You had no idea how to do it. No-one else in town did, for that matter. You have been heard complaining at times how the necessities of life – little worries like jobs and paying rent – got in the way of Salvation Town's people's research. That had been the true objective of your aborted political career: Once you were in the governor's seat, you were hoping to channel State funds to research into the Perfect Book. We all know how badly that went. Then, a few years later, came the Caretakers, founded by the one man in Salvation Town who had lost faith. That gave you the idea: You convinced some people in town to join the Caretakers, convinced others to join your conspiracy; you recruited a retiring stage magician, and, with his help, created the legend of Wildcard; on inauguration day, you were to poison me and my friends, making it look like Wildcard's doing, then save the press and the world from Wildcard's evil. Some additional maneuvers would allow you to lead the Caretakers…Then, using their prestige and good name, convince public opinion to fund Salvation Town's research. Once the Perfect Book had been decoded, you believed you'd be top dog in the new golden age – that part, incidentally, wouldn't have worked even if I hadn't sabotaged your plan, of course.  
By then, I was on to you – but I wanted some additional evidence. I tested you several times today – I always got the response that confirmed my doubts. When I pretended the reporters wanted us to hurry up, you even agreed to my suggestion that we begin the inauguration without you, despite your obvious love of the spotlight. So when you served us your poisoned drinks, we only pretended to take them, and then faked heart attacks while Wildcard was faking spells. Then I pretended to have survived thanks to some imaginary device; you nearly panicked. You needed me dead; when I suggested that we split into teams, you assigned only your conspirators to me; I knew you needed the innocent ones to follow you, so that they wouldn't see the renewed murder attempt.  
As you can see, all your attempts failed. Your conspiracy was doomed from the very start. Checkmate."  
As the FBI took the conspirator away, Checkmate returned to his friends. "Err, Warren?" hazarded Lumpy. "I'm sorry for what I said a moment ago…"  
"Don't be, you were right. My behavior was unacceptable. Don't ever hesitate to speak up when I conduct myself in a reproachful manner – one of the many reasons I hang out with you people is your positive influence."  
"Yeah, I figure it's not all the big help we are against villains" said Nicholas. "You almost did everything yourself on this one!"  
"Perhaps. But without you and the Care Bears, I'd have either snapped a long time ago, or sunk to deep, deep villainy. So if I ever show signs of unhealthy behavior…By all means tell me."

**A little later...**

"I can't believe Gene tried to pull the wool over everyone's eyes." Thomas said in disbelief. "If it weren't for you, Warren, we'd never have figured out the truth."  
"Well, like I said before, it's thanks to the Care Bears Family and Caretakers that I am sane." said Warren.  
"So what now? Gene, Wildcard, and the co-conspirators are taken care of. What's in the future for Salvation Town and you people?" asked David.  
"Well, I think that this whole thing might get a few people in Salvation Town thinking, and once they see that their sheriff is corrupt and completely insane, and an actually WORSE person than Warren, well, you figure out the rest. Don't expect a big change though. Heck, even Warren's family won't take him back."  
"Not that I expect them to."  
"Also, the Caretakers here are going to make a few changes. We are the good guys, corrupt leader notwithstanding."  
"Speaking of leader, you'll need a new one." Christy pointed out.  
"And I think I know the perfect replacement. He's right here, right now." Warren said with a smirk.  
"Who?" asked Thomas puzzle.  
"You, Thomas."  
Thomas was surprised (unlike everyone else). "Me? But...I am not as good at this as you are!"  
"True, but you've lived in Salvation Town and like you said, you are a good guy. One of the very, very few." chuckled Warren who then went stern. "And, I don't take no for an answer."  
"Well..."  
"Oh come on, Thomas. Just accept." said one of the innocent Caretakers.  
"We're counting on you." said another.  
"Well, in that case, I accept."  
"Good." Warren said. "We'll get the whole thing taken care of and then you can get to work."  
As everyone continued to talk, Warren stepped aside to speak to someone none could see.  
"Well, Dark Heart Bear, you did well." Warren said.  
"Don't think that just because I backed you up, I'm your pal. I am still going to destroy you first chance I get." Dark Heart Bear said.  
"Well, I don't expect a change in you either, Dark Heart. But one of these days, you'll realize that it isn't all about fighting."  
"I'll think like you when hell freezes over."  
"Like never." Warren thought. But he decided not to worry about that. Right now, he intended to get Thomas settled up as the new leader of the Salvation Town Caretakers branch and then get back home. He just remembered an electronic chess game he had to delay.

The End

Gene Hackman: Gene Qwerty  
Billy West: Olson  
Maurice LaMarche: Thomas  
Kent Willaims: "Checkmate" Warren Wilson  
Mickey Rooney: Nicholas Cherrywood  
Tracey Moore: Alice  
Jim Henshaw: Tender Heart Bear  
Kara Edwards: Lorelei "Sophia" Schroeder  
Mark Hamill: Luke/Wildcard  
Hadley Kay: David Hall  
Cree Summer: Christy Davis-Timbs  
Georgia Engel: Love-A-Lot Bear  
Tom Kane: Dark Heart Bear

Author's note  
I got the conspiracy idea from reading the "Star Wars: Empire Vol. 1" graphic novel story. Sun Tzu, the co-writer, thought of the Wildcard idea and other stuff.

The Qwerty part of Gene's name is actually the top left six letters of my computer keyboard.


End file.
